Reuters Sports Schedule at 1400 GMT on Wednesday, September 4

NEW YORK - Second seeds Rafa Nadal and Victoria Azarenka play under the lights against Tommy Robredo and Daniela Hantuchova respectively for berths in the semi-finals. In early quarter-final action, Roberta Vinci and Flavia Pennetta clash in an all-Italian affair followed by David Ferrer playing Richard Gasquet. (TENNIS-OPEN/expect first copy by 2000 GMT/4 PM ET, by Larry Fine, Simon Evans and Will Swanton, 700 words)

- - - -

MOTOR RACING

Motor racing-Alonso the main man at Monza

MONZA, Italy - Fernando Alonso is the man who can make the red wave of Ferrari fans truly happy at Monza's 'Pista Magica', Italy's revered cathedral of speed that is also Formula One's fastest circuit, this weekend (MOTOR RACING-PRIX/PREVIEW, (PIX), moved, by Alan Baldwin, 500 words)

Drivers' form sheet and statistics for the last European race of the season has also been moved.

- - - -

SOCCER

Italy, Germany and Netherlands eye World Cup spots

LONDON - Former world champions Italy and Germany are among seven countries who could confirm their places in next year's World Cup soccer finals in Brazil when the qualifying tournament swings back into action this week after a three-month break. (SOCCER-WORLD/PREVIEW, moving shortly, by Mike Collett, 700 words)

We will bring you all the latest team and injury news ahead of Friday's 2014 World Cup qualifiers.

- - - -

GOLF

Couples and Price to round out their Presidents Cup teams

United States captain Fred Couples and his opposite number Nick Price of the Internationals will announce their two wildcard picks on Golf Channel to complete their 12-man teams for next month's Presidents Cup at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio. (GOLF-PRESIDENTS/, expect by 1815 GMT/2:15 PM ET, by Mark Lamport-Stokes, 450 words)

- - - -

CRICKET

Zimbabwe v Pakistan, 1st test, Harare

Pakistan tail-ender Ajmal one short of half-century

Pakistan resume on 249 for nine against Zimbabwe heading into the second day of the first test in Harare after a ninth-wicket partnership between Saeed Ajmal and Junaid Khan. (CRICKET-PAKISTAN/, 300 words)

- - - -

NFL

Week One offers intriguing matchups between contenders

The Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens and Denver Broncos will kickoff the new NFL season on Thursday but there are plenty of Week One matchups on Sunday, including an intriguing showdown between the Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers, that will offer some early insight into teams with championship ambition. (NFL/ (PREVIEW), expect by 2000 GMT/4 PM ET, by Steve Keating, 500 words)

- - - -

BASEBALL

Tigers' Scherzer goes for win No. 20 versus Red Sox

Detroit Tigers pitcher Max Scherzer seeks his major league-leading 20th win of the season versus the host Boston Red Sox while Japanese right-hander Hiroki Kuroda takes the mound for the New York Yankees against the visiting Chicago White Sox. (BASEBALL-HIGHLIGHTS/, expect by 0430 GMT/12:30 AM ET, 300 words)

- - - -

NORTH AMERICAN SPORTS

Roundups of off-field developments in the major North American professional sports leagues. (expect by 0001 GMT/8:01 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 400 words)